Limón & the north · Costa Rica
Surfing Westfalia
A beach break in Limón & the north, Costa Rica, for beginner and intermediate surfers.
Westfalia is a long, empty black-sand beach south of Limón, on the road to Cahuita. The beach-break peaks are consistent but close out once the swell is bigger than about four feet, so it's best on small days.
You'll rarely see another surfer. Nearby, at the mouth of the Río Banano, Barco Quebrado often has better-shaped banks.
It's best on small to medium north-east swells, from December to March. There's very little on the beach, and Cahuita, about twenty minutes south, has the places to stay and eat.
When to surf
Westfalia
Westfalia is at its best from December to March. Conditions it likes: Swell NE-E.
December to March: Prime
Main season, NE-E storms off Colombia fire Salsa Brava and the reefs
April to June: Quiet
Flat spells between seasons; the Pacific is the better bet now
July to August: Good
A reliable mid-year mini-season, July the safer bet for swell
September to November: Quiet
Mostly flat and very wet, off-season on the Caribbean
The year across Limón
Waves near Westfalia
Barco Quebrado
4 kmLimón & the north · Beach Break · Intermediate
Isla Uvita
7 kmLimón & the north · Left Reef · Advanced
Cocaine Point
10 kmLimón & the north · Right Point · Intermediate / Advanced
Straight-line distances. By road it is usually further.
Getting there
Where to stay: Avoid Limón city itself for lodging (bar the Park Hotel), head to Playa Bonita or up to Cahuita. Tortuguero is a boat-in world of its own from Puerto Moín. This coast is extremely wet; take wet-weather gear. Petty crime and street hustle are real in Limón, stay aware.
Transport, costs, where to stay and the rest of the waves in the area are in the Limón & the north guide.
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